Hinata One-shots(Requests welcome)

The Puppeteer

I do not own Naruto.

Soft lavender eyes watched as he performed. The slightest twitch of his fingertips had the puppets moving in intricate dances. She knew the man was a master puppeteer, but she had never paid him any mind before now. She glanced over at Naruto and he nodded to her silently as he watched his friend's older brother perform. He was not only a master at making the puppets dance, he could also use them to kill.

She wondered what all he could control with those strings of chakra, but she didn't want to be on the receiving end of it. She folded her hands neatly in her lap until the performance was over. Naruto stood as Kankuro took a bow and everyone began clapping. She clapped a few times but she was more curious about the man himself. The reason why? The last time she had seen him was in the chuunin exams.

They were all older now and she had realized he was not the intentional murderer she had thought he or his brother was, they were just doing their job. She looked over to naruto and he had made his way over to Kankuro and Gaara. They were all going to the bar after this because they were all celebrating Kankuro and his performance. He was not only a talented shinobi, but had landed a gig as a puppeteer for his free time. She felt good about his prospects and had agreed to come celebrate with them.

She wanted to get to know the war paint wearing shinobi better. Naruto was trying to get them to meet for some time now and she had been nervous about it, but had finally agreed. She got the feeling she was being set up on a kind of a blind date by her friend, but she honestly wasn't too closed off about the idea of it. Sakura had mentioned once before how attractive the man was and she wanted to see what he looked like without all the face paint on.

So here she was, sitting at the bar while Naruto and the others were making their way to it. Something about having to change and get more comfortable for the night. A brunette man made his way over to her and ordered him a drink, only to stop and look at her. "Hinata. Hey." he greeted and she furrowed her brows as she took in his appearance. Brown hair spiked down around his face and he grinned at her.

"I didn't know you would be here already." he said and she blinked in realization. It was Kankuro. "Y-yeah. I had nothing else to do so I made my way here to sit for a while." she managed and he grinned at her. She was ashamed she hadn't recognized him, but then again, he was always wearing the hood and his face paint so it was hard to picture what he looked like relaxed. He held a hand out to her and she reached up and took it gently. Her softer skin rubbing against his more calloused hand sent a strange feeling through her.

"Let me buy you a drink." he said and she smiled at him as she released his hand politely. He slipped atop the barstool next to her and she told him what drink she would like. He went to ordering it and she just watched him from the corner of her eyes. Her gaze trailed up over his sleek jawline to his prominent cheekbones and she had to admit he was attractive. Not that she would admit that to him or anyone for that matter.

She had bad luck in dating and she wasn't sure if this secret date Naruto had planned for her was even going to go anywhere. She knew that this was what it was even though Naruto hadn't had to say anything. Ever since they had broken up, he had been trying to set her up with his friends. Date after date had failed, but not for her lack of trying. She just didn't feel anything towards most of them and she didn't click with them as well as she would have hoped.

Naruto had seemed to have given up on her until he brought it up to her that he wanted her to meet Kankuro. She figured this one was going to go just as badly as the rest and she wasn't going to put too much faith in it working out. No offense to him though. He was an attractive man. She was just unlucky and awkward it seemed. Her date with Kiba had gone well, but they realized they were better as friends because they just couldn't stop thinking about each other as anything other than that.